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Long utilized in European and Asian countries, fast ―next generation‖ cell phonenetworks and mobile data streams have only recently begun to make deep inroads inthe United States, and companies are scrambling to write content, tools, and newapplets (―apps‖) for these users. The iPhone has become a juggernaut in the UnitedStates, with 13 million units sold in 2008 (a 245% increase over 2007) and a further 45million units expected in 2009 (Elmer-DeWitt, 2009). While iPhone still lags Nokia andRIM internationally, the overall trend toward mobile computing becomes firmer by theday, and it behooves educators to become familiar with the cell phone tools that arerelevant for teaching in tomorrow‘s--and increasingly ―today‘s‖--classroom.Smartphones have for years offered SMS instant messaging, but the first uses of thattechnology have inevitably been social rather than educational in nature (Reid, 2004).The recent rise in popularity of the iPhone has, however, sparked interest in new usesfor SMS with the advent of new and expanded audiences. One promising online tooloffers instant polling via SMS: polleverywhere.com‘s free account allows up to 30responses per 1-question poll, with unlimited polls per account.This opens up the possibility of classroom response systems that require no studentpurchases of the clicker hardware. While accountability back to the student and gradesare not feasible with polleverywhere.com‘s solution, instructors can harvest quick,anonymous feedback and encourage otherwise reluctant students to engage andparticipate.Apart from texting, modern cell phones come equipped with cameras, which cancombine with email capabilities to offer a potent alternative to writing on whiteboards.Working at their seats, singly or in groups, students can photograph their work andemail it to the instructor, who then can choose from the submissions which to highlighton the lecture hall‘s projection of his computer station, and further discuss theanonymous work. Cameras may also be useful in field work and group projects.But perhaps the greatest use of Smartphones has been the web browsing capability.Essentially pocket computers carried by almost all students, today‘s cell phones cansurf the Internet and access most content that formerly had to be seen from theirdesktop computers at home.Instructors might imagine students in the lecture hall looking up facts, verifyinginformation, or using web-based prompts for roleplays, groupwork, and problem-basedlearning, in some cases entirely replacing the need for handouts.10There are limitations; some Course-Management Software (CMS) like BlackBoard maynot function on cell phone browsers, since they lack web programming languages suchas Flash or Java.One of the major revolutions created by the iPhone specifically has been theconvenience of offering apps, including many free ones, from the ubiquitous iTunesshopping cart software also used to purchase and manage mp3s on iPods. The resultingcascade of available apps has been breathtaking. In the first twelve months since itsinception in July, 2008, the iTunes App Store logged 65,000 apps and 1.5 billiondownloads (Apple, 2009).Inevitably, many apps are offered for free, and dozens speak to individual industriesand disciplines. The list is seemingly endless: customizable flash cards, an interactiveperiodic table, the collected works of Shakespeare, scientific and graphic calculators(which can render 3D objects and rotate them at a touch), art collections, MRI brainscans, foreign language tutors, maps of the world, dictionaries, and dozens more.iPhones feature still more built-in applications, including one for YouTube that mayalso encourage faculty to weave more videos into their teaching. Suddenly, studentsmay have access to rich media right from their seats, and the possibilities for on-thespotgroupwork are enticing indeed.The primary hurdle may not be technological, but rather financial in nature. Not everystudent will have a SmartPhone, let alone an iPhone specifically. Abilene ChristianUniversity (ACU, 2009) became the first college in the United States to give allincoming freshmen an iPhone or iPod Touch, and both University of Florida‘s College ofPharmacy (Martin, 2009) and the University of Missouri‘s School of Journalism (Eddy,2009) will start requiring incoming students to purchase their own, but these areexceptions rather than the rule. For most universities, it is difficult to imaginemandating such purchases from individual students, so instructors will most likely bereduced to seeking volunteers from among the class population.Inevitably, this willresult in the formation of buzz groups clustered around the iPhone bearers, which inand of itself may not be a bad thing, though it may take longer to organize groups andre-direct students back to the plenary discussion.Students might be allowed to use phones for ―backchannel‖ discussions; basicallydiscussions among themselves that occur without involving the lecturer, such asclarifications or amplifications of points made during the lecture, but in real time whilethe lecture continues. While there are numerous possibly ways to implement such abackchannel discussion, a Twitter feed provides the simplest solution. Such a systemcould also be used to post (anonymous) questions to the lecturer that are examinedonly every so often, which provides a new venue for the more shy students whononetheless have a pressing concern.One caveat for interested users will be the role of iPhones and SmartPhones in off-taskbehavior, particularly if backchannel discussions are encouraged. Absent backchanneldiscussions, however, instructors could easily dictate the specific moments when cellphones are to be used, with the understanding that all other times are to betechnology-free. In this fashion, classroom management issues should remain minimal,even in technology-rich classroom environments that reap maximal benefits from thetechnology already in the hands of many students.11BIODATA and CONTACT ADDRESSES of AUTHORSDr. HARGIS has authored two books and over forty academic articles aswell as over one hundred national and international presentations.Currently, he is an Assistant Provost at the University of the Pacific andan Associate Professor of Education. His undergraduate and graduatedegrees are in the chemical sciences and he has earned a Ph.D. from theUniversity of Florida in Science Education, specializing in the area ofinformal learning settings, which is the focus of his research agenda.Jace Hargis, PhDAssistant Provost for Faculty DevelopmentAssociate ProfessorDirector, Center for Teaching and LearningUniversity of the Pacific3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95211Phone: (209) 946-2409Email: jhargis@pacific.eduREFERENCESApple.com press release. (2009). Apple‘s app store downloads top 1.5 billion in firstyear. Retrieved July 20, 2009, from Apple.com Web site:http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/07/14apps.htmlACU.edu press release. (2009). ACU first university in nation to provide iPhone or iPodtouch to all incoming freshmen. Retrieved July 23, 2009, from ACU.edu Web site:http://www.acu.edu/news/2008/080225_iphone.htmlEddy, N. (2009). University of Missouri requires students buy iPhone of iPod. RetrievedJuly 23, 2009, from eweek.com Web site:http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Midmarket/University-of-Missouri-Requires-Students-Buy-iPhones-540478Elmer-DeWitt, P. (2009). iPhone sales grew 245% in 2008. Retrieved July 20, 2009,from CNNMoney Web site:http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/03/12/iphone-sales-grew-245-in-2008-gartnerMartin, M. (2009). University of Florida pharmacy students must have iPhone or iPodtouch. Retrieved July 23, 2009, from tuaw.com Web site:http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/09/university-of-florida-pharmacy-students-musthave-iphone-or-ipodReid, F.J.M & Reid, D.J. (2004) Text appeal: The psychology of SMS texting and itsimplications for the design of mobile phone interfaces. Campus-wide InformationSystems, 21,5. |
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